Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill

The story of Matrice Richardson was featured on "Disappeared," a documentary that was broadcast November 20. She was a beautiful recent college graduate who disappeared after police custody in Lost Hills, CA in 2009. Police say they arrested her after she acted erratic in a restaurant and could not pay for her meal. Mitrice was reportedly released after several hours in custody at around 1:30 a.m., although the mother of the young woman with symptoms of bipolar disorder had asked police to keep Mitrice in custody until she could be picked up by her family the next morning. Mitrice's bones were found in the desert a year later. See "Mitrice Richardson: Another Police Murder Coverup?"http://dogjusticeformentallyill.blogspot.com/2012/11/mitrice-richardson-another-police-cover.html

Mentally and emotionally challenged persons occasionally go missing. What is law enforcement's role in helping to keep persons with mental health issues safe?